| QCDG.com: With being on the road a great deal and traveling a lot, what do you do to help find a balance between your professional life and a “normal” home life? |
| Val: Well, there's not much of normal home life during the summer. I think I spend maybe 1 week in total at my parents house in Ohio this year. We are always on the road, traveling to the next tournament or practicing the courses. Although we are pretty non stop, we do take time in between and explore the cities, and we try and make every Monday our resting days. |
| QCDG.com: What do you like to do in your “off” times to help clear your mind from the competition and stresses that come from being a professional player? |
| Val: We "work" on the weekends so I try and keep all that on the course. When I'm done with my round, I'm done with it. I'm not one to keep dwelling on what I did wrong or right the last round I played. I like to keep the competition fun and light so I don't get too down on myself if I make mistakes. I have to continually tell myself "This is a game". |
| QCDG.com: One great thing about disc golf is that a person can play the game their entire life, but what do you see yourself doing after your Pro touring days come to a close? |
| Val: I'm going to keep this going as long as I can, but I admit someday I might settle down. I'm always going to be involved in this sport though. I was raised on this sport and I have so much extended family from this sport, so I can't escape it! haha. Right now, I'm taking business marketing classes online with hopes that I will be the one to get Disc Golf to be HUGE! |
| QCDG.com: With the success you’ve had in disc golf you can be seen as a role model for women of all ages. How do you feel about that role and what does that mean to you? |
| Val: I'm honored. I love meeting all the new women that are pumped and excited to get out on the course and play. I enjoy playing rounds with a variety of women from all different backgrounds. My mom was a great role model for me growing up because she has been competing since I was born. I looked up to her as she competed and beat up on the guys, and continues to play. I just hope I encourage people as much as she has encouraged me through the years.
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| QCDG.com: What steps do you see that could to be taken to help promote and expand the sport of disc golf and help include more young women around the country? |
| Val: Like I said, I am taking these marketing classes in hopes they will give me a good background in business and how to work with large companies and increase our sport's popularity. I always say that I would love to see more women out there, and I continually think of the ways to get more women out. It's an ongoing struggle but I have high hopes that our numbers are increasing. I would love to visit more schools next year, and hold more clinics to encourage those girlfriends to actually throw instead of walking alongside their boyfriends on the course. |
| QCDG.com: Being a top pro, you have the opportunity to compete against the same players time and again, many of who are your friends off the course. What process do you go through to stay mentally focused on the round and not whom you’re playing against? |
| Val: It's tough. The top card of women can almost be predicted before the tournament starts, and I find myself playing with the same women every weekend. But the competition is so tough, and it really can be anyone of our tournaments that weekend. If player ratings mean anything, we are all very close and that proves that it can be anyone's good day. Sometimes the competition can get the best of us, but we realize that's what keeps us coming back. |
| QCDG.com: Successful players in many sports have routines they follow to get ready to compete. What type of process do you follow to prepare yourself both mentally and physically for each round of a tournament? |
| Val: I wish I could say I train for months, but I don't. I wish I could say I got out and practice hours on end, but I don't. I practice the courses before hand, and warm up in the mornings, but that's about it. I've tried to be a better practicer, but I have ADD when it comes to that. I have been trying to visualize the course, and decide what the best score I can achieve. That helps me set a goal and keeps me focused during the round. |
| QCDG.com: Even top pro’s have a bad round now and then! What do you do to refocus yourself after having a less than perfect round and what advice could you give to players who find themselves in the same position? |
| Val: Realize its not over until its over. That has helped me out a lot in the past couple of years. Anything can happen so it's really important to never give up. It's easier said than done, but you're out there for a reason so make the best of it. No matter how silly the mistake, you can't change it, so there's no point of dwelling on it. Move on and focus so you can do your best on the next shot. |
| QCDG.com: Having worked over the years to improve your game and get yourself to the level of play you’re at now, in your experience is there a practice routine or technique you concentrated on that helped more than others? |
| Val: I've learned how to throw an upshot and a putter. My driving and putting game has always been solid, but I could never get the touch shots to get me close. I focused on using my putter for longer upshots during practice rounds, and sometimes entire rounds with my Roc and Aviar. That has extremely helped round out my game. |
| QCDG.com: When playing a round during a tournament, would you consider yourself an aggressive or conservative player when it comes to shot selection and taking chances. What’s your mind set when it comes to deciding whether to go for a birdie or run the risk of scoring a bogey instead? |
| Val: That depends on a lot of things. I'm usually an aggressive player. I have a lot of confidence in my game so I am willing to go for the shots because I know I can do them. But there are the times when I have doubt, and those are the times I smack myself and decide I need to lay up. Even with a little doubt, there's no reason to go for the shot, because now you are more focused on the risk instead of the reward. |
| QCDG.com: What type of course do you feel best suits your style of play and gives you an advantage over players you compete against on a regular basis? |
| Val: I'm one of the top distance throwers in the women's field so I would say any course that leans towards that. It pays off if I can throw farther and get a change to birdie the longer holes. |
| QCDG.com: Every disc golfer has a “go to” disc or two that just feels good in their hand and they have confidence in for almost any shot. What mid-range and driver would you consider your “go to” discs? |
| Val: My "go to" drivers are my Pro Starfires. I usually throw them on just about every hole. But if I had to pick 1 disc to throw all round, it would have to be what I call my "money TL".. Its a beat in 175g Orange Champion TL, I love it. |
| QCDG.com: If you met a brand new disc golf player and could give them only one piece of advice what bit of “wisdom” from your experiences would you choose to share with them? |
| Val: Don't give up and don't be so hard on yourself when you're figuring the game out. Everyone starts somewhere so keep trying and eventually you'll get the hang of it. |
| QCDG.com: After a tough round or tournament do you have a favorite comfort food? |
| Val: My favorite comfort food? You can't beat Mom's homemade mashed potatoes! :) It's truly amazing when we come home and get to eat some homecookin' instead of eating out. |
Thanks so much to Val for sharing her time with us and we all look forward to seeing her when she comes to town for Women's Nationals in 2009! |
